Omohyoid muscle

The omohyoid muscle is a muscle in the neck. It is one of the infrahyoid muscles. It consists of two bellies separated by an intermediate tendon. Its inferior belly is attached to the scapula; its superior belly is attached to the hyoid bone. Its intermediate tendon is anchored to the clavicle and first rib by a fascial sling. The omohyoid is innervated by the ansa cervicalis of the cervical plexus. It acts to depress the hyoid bone.

The omohyoid muscle consists of muscle bellies that meet at an angle at the muscle's intermediate tendon.

The inferior belly is narrow and flat band.

It arises from the superior border of scapula (near the scapular notch). It sometimes also arises from the superior transverse scapular ligament.

It is directed anteriorly and somewhat superiorly from its origin, extending across the inferior portion of the neck. It passes posterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle to insert at the intermediate tendon.

The superior belly arises at the intermediate tendon. It extends nearly vertically superior-ward close to the lateral border of sternocleidomastoid muscle to insert at the inferior border of the body of hyoid bone (its site of insertion is lateral to that of the sternohyoid muscle).

The intermediate tendon is variable in length and form, and contains a variable amount of muscle tissue. It is anchored inferiorly to the clavicle and first rib by a band of deep cervical fascia that surrounds the intermediate tendon; this fascial fixation maintains the angle of the muscle.

It is typically situated at the level of the arch of cricoid cartilage, adjacent to the internal jugular vein.